Car-coupling



Urvrrnn rares RICHARD ooNDoN, or LYoNs, IowA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 474,815, dated May 17, 1892. Application tiled January 29, 1889. Serial No. 293,024:- (No model-l To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD CONDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyons, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-couplers.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple and cheap coupling of such form as to render it capable of coupling automatically with a high or low coupler-head on an adjacent car.

Furthermore, the object is to produce a carcoupling in which the opening in the drawhead is protected by yielding plates, which serve both to guard the opening and to guide the coupling-link to the proper position to effect coupling.

Furthermore, the object is to produce a coupling in which the joining` may be accomplished at whatever angle the link enters the draw-head, thus rendering it possible and easy to couple the cars on a curve, if desired.

With these objects in view the invention resides, essentially, in a car-coupler consisting of abarhaving a'series of projections suficiently distant from one another to allow the entrance between them of the coupler-link, a spring bearing upon the bar, intended to retain the bar in an upright position, and a rigid arm or lever connected with the bar and proj ecting outside of the draw-head, whereby the link may be released or the coupling placed in a position which will not allow of its being coupled.

Furthermore, the invention resides in yielding plates or doors arranged in the front of the draw-head and provided upon one or more of their adjacent faces with notches or indentations, which serve to guide the link to a position to be entered by the projection upon the bar, and, furthermore, the invention resides in various novel details of construction whereby the objects are attained.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an end view of a draw-head cmbodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the internal disposition of the parts. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the couplerlink. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one end of thelowerlocking-jaw, showing the spring in engagement therewith for keeping it in its closed position.

In the drawings, Adesignates a draw-head, the outer end of which is recessed and is divided by an arrow-headed cross-bar B into two chambers C C, each containing the same mechanism for engaging the coupler-link and subserving the purpose of permitting the coupling being made either with the high or low coupler-head on an adjacent car. As the construction of both the chambers and their nclosed mechanismsis the same, as abovestated, the following description will be coniined to one of them.

Within the chamber C is pivoted a lockingjaw D, having one of its edges provided with a plurality of teeth or projections d, arranged at such a distance apart as to permit of the coupler-link E resting between them. To the locking-jaw is secured one end of a lever F, which extends a suflicient distance beyond the draw-head to bring it within convenient reach, and at its free end terminates with an arm f, designed to be brought into engagement with a recess a on the draw-head, whereby to hold the locking-jaw in the open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and thus leave an unobstructed passage for the incoming coupling-link. When in its closed or operative position, the locking-jaw bears against shoulders b, formed, respectively, on the crossbar B and at the mouth of the chamber, so'

that all strain from the coupler-link is practically removed from the locking-jaw and is borne by the said shoulders. The lockingjaw is held against the shoulders b by means of a spring G, one end of which is inserted in an aperture a2 in the draw-head and bears against the inner face of the locking-jaw, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the free end being passed around a screw or projection o3 and then through an opening a4 in the draw-head.

In order to protect the chamber and its mechanism from injury caused by the entrance of extraneous substances, such as dust,

gravel, or the like, I provide the mouth of the chamber with a yielding gate or flap H, pivoted, as at 7L, to the draw-head. The free edge of the gate is arranged to engage the edge of a rigid cross-bar I, whereby to seal the chainber, which cross-bar also serves to guide the coupler-link to its proper position with relation to the locking-jaw. The gate is actuated to close automatically upon the removal of the coupler-link by means of a spring .I which bears against the gate and is secured to a convenient part of the draw-head.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, of the locking-jaw mounted therein and provided with a series of projections, a link in engagement therewith and ex* zo tending beyond the draw-head, and a spring bearing on the locking-jaw and retaining it in position, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the spring flaps or doors, in combination with a cross-bar for guiding the link and a locking-jaw having a series of projections for engaging the link, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a car-coupling, ot' the locking-jawprovided with the projections and with the operating-lever,tl1e spring operating to liold the locking-jaw in normal position, and the spring flaps or doors, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD CONDON.

Y `Vitnesses:

DAVID H. MEAD, H. C. JOHNSON. 

